Mary Lou Robinson

Nov 11, 1919—Feb 28, 2008

Mary L. Robinson, 88, passed away Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008. A private service was held in Mount Gilead Cemetery, Bloomington, Indiana.

Mary Lu Robinson, daughter of Louis Cleveland and Ruby King Welch, was born Nov. 11, 1919, in Bloomington, Ind.

She was the first president of the Indiana University South Bend Women's Club, past president of Zonta Club of South Bend and associate matron of Valley Chapter Order of Eastern Star of Tarrant County, Indiana and a 50-year member.

She was a member of the Mary Isham Keith Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution, past president of Colonial Dames XVIIC, past president of the Texas Society of Daughters of Colonial Wars and the treasurer and a member of the National Officers Club.

She was past treasurer of Daughters of American Colonists and a member of the Dames of the Court of Honor, Daughters of 1812, Washington Family Descendents, Dames of Magna Carta and Order of the Crown (Descendents of Charlemagne).

She was a docent at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth for 12 years, patron of the Kimball Art Museum, patron of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, Winterthur Foundation, Smithsonian Institute, Williamsburg, Va. Foundation and charter member of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C.

She was a member of the Tarrant County Historical Society, as well as the National Trust for Historic Preservation of England and the United States.

In addition, Robinson was a member of the Woman's Club of Fort Worth, signature member of the Society of Watercolor Artists, member of the International Society of Experimental Artists, president of the Fort Worth Chapter of National Association of Pen Women of America, member of the Lockheed Martin Recreational Association Art Department, member of the Rejebian Book Club and a member of University Christian Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Newlin Robinson; her daughter, Rebecca Jane Robinson; her parents; sister, Ann Owens of Muncie, Ind.; brother, David Welch of Bloomington, Ind.

Survivors: Son, Richard Louis Robinson and wife of Arlington; sister, Nancy Bitters of Sterling, VA.; three grandchildren; two nieces; and four nephews.

Marjorie Malone Jordan

Jul 09, 1918—Mar 25, 2008

Marjorie Malone Jordan went to be with her beloved Lord on Tuesday, March 25, 2008. The funeral was held in the sanctuary of Broadway Baptist Church, the Rev. David Hardy officiating; burial at Laurel Land Memorial Park.

Marjorie was born July 9, 1918, in Leggett, Polk County, the eighth of 10 children of James Edward Malone and the Bernice Jacquinta Calliham. She moved to Fort Worth, where she met Leslie Maurice Jordan and formed a love affair for the ages. They married Oct. 1, 1938, and would have celebrated 70 years of marriage this year. The couple settled in Richland Hills in 1946. Both learned to fly and Les began a distinguished career as a pilot with American Airlines. They raised two children, Norma Beth Haynes and Leslie Maurice Jordan Jr., both of whom followed their father to careers at American Airlines. The couple have been members of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth for 69 years.

Margie was intensely patriotic and that, combined with her love of genealogy and of service to youth, led her to a lifelong leadership role in the Texas Society, Children of the American Revolution. Her gracious and gentle guidance benefitted countless Texas youngsters over the years. She served a term as senior state president of the organization. In addition, she was an active member and officer of both the Mary Isham Keith Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Julia Jackson Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy.

In her later years, Marjorie served as administrator of the North Central Civic Ballet, a role that again called on her unparalleled talents as a mentor and role model for young people.

She will be missed as an adored wife, beloved mother and grandmother, friend, confidante and adviser.

Survivors: Her husband, Les Jordan Sr.; her children, Beth and Jim Haynes of Fort Worth and Les and Renee Jordan of Richland Hills; grandchildren, Leslie Maurice Jordan III, Raymond Eliah Jordan, Andrew Jordan Haynes and Keith Alexander Mills; and many devoted nieces and nephews.

Jettie Schmidt Thomas

Jan 25, 1931—Jan 01, 2009

Jettie Schmidt Thomas died Thursday, Jan. 1, 2009.

Funeral: 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in Greenwood Chapel. Interment: Greenwood Memorial Park. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Greenwood Funeral Home.

Jettie was born Jan. 25, 1931, in Houston to John Henry and Verna Pearl Marshall Schmidt. She was raised in Port Arthur and Orange. Jettie married Robert Stanley Thomas, her high school sweetheart, Aug. 30, 1952, in Beaumont. After his graduation from Texas A&M, they went to Fort Eustis, Va., and the Seattle Port of Embarkation, Wash., for his Army service. Following his release, the family lived at sites in Texas, Alabama and Arkansas before relocating to Arlington in 1972.

Jettie was a member of Good Shepherd Methodist Church in Arlington. Her hobbies were genealogy, reading, gardening and working crossword puzzles. Her genealogy work led her to join several heredity organizations. She was a   member of the Six Flags Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, of which she was a prior regent; Honorable Philip Livingston Chapter, Daughters of the American Colonists; and Julia Jackson Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy. She was predeceased by her parents; an infant child, Deborah Kay; and her older brother, John Edward.

Survivors: Husband, Bob; son, Stanley Thomas and wife, Lynne Weber; and her daughter, Patricia Thomas.

Dr. Sarah Margaret Claypool Willoughby

Oct 15, 1917—Dec 27, 2008

Sarah Margaret Claypool Willoughby, professor emerita  of chemistry at the University  of Texas at Arlington  and the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in engineering from Purdue University, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2008, in Dallas.

Memorial service: 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 27, at St. Albans Episcopal Church in Arlington.  Memorials: In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Humane Society of North Texas, 1840 E. Lancaster Ave., Fort Worth, Texas 76102.

Dr. Willoughby was born Oct. 15, 1917, in Bowling Green, Ky. She attended Western Kentucky State College, receiving a B.S. in chemistry in 1938. After receiving her degree, she married John Richard Evans II and moved to Louisville, Ky., where he was to attend law school. On the outbreak of the war, her husband enlisted as a pilot in the Army Air Force. After his unfortunate death in an aircraft accident, she went to work for the defense industry, working on coatings for a new plywood version of the C-46 transport that Curtiss-Wright was building in Louisville. Dr. Willoughby also enrolled in graduate school at the University of Louisville. Although she was being sponsored by Curtiss-Wright, her professor told her at the beginning of her first class that he did not allow women in his class, so she was required to withdraw. It wasn't long before she decided to look for a graduate school that would admit women, and was fortunate enough to find just such a program at Purdue University, so she left Louisville in 1944 to begin her studies in chemical engineering at Purdue. Purdue awarded her the Ph.D. in chemical engineering in 1950, but jobs were scarce for women in the sciences in the 1950s. When she was offered a job as a research chemist by Monsanto Chemical Co. in Everett, Mass., she was quick to accept it. After working for Monsanto for a couple of years, she and her second husband, O. Glenn Willoughby, decided to move to Texas, where he was setting up a business. Dr. Willoughby soon found a position teaching chemistry at the University of Texas at Arlington (then Arlington State College). She had a long and rewarding career there, stretching from 1954 to her retirement in 1984. Among her many accomplishments at UTA was the creation of the first course taught in polymer chemistry, a course that helped pave the way for the Center for Microcrystal Polymer Science, of which she became co-director. Dr. Willoughby was very proud of being a "professional engineer," and in that role, she edited and helped write the engineering-in-training textbooks that are used for engineering registration in Texas. Her many honors include being named a "Kentucky Colonel," being named an "Outstanding Chemical Engineer" by Purdue University and being declared a "Distinguished Alumna" of Western Kentucky University. She was a member of Sigma Xi (serving for two years as president of the local chapter), the American Institute of Chemists, the American Chemical Society and the New York Academy of Science. Dr. Willoughby was active in genealogical research, assisting in the preparation of The Claypools in America, and in many genealogical societies, including Daughters of the American Revolution (former chapter regent), Magna Charta Dames (honorary state president), Daughters of Founders and Patriots (president of Northeast Texas chapter), Colonial Dames of America, Colonial Dames of the XVII Century, The Peyton Society of Virginia, Americans of Royal Descent and many others. Only three years ago she won first place in an essay contest on women's careers, sponsored by the Texas society of the DAR.

She was preceded in death by a son, Stephen B. Willoughby.

Survivors: Children, Sarah Peyton Willoughby and Dr. Richard Evans; grandchildren, Dr. Melissa A. Montgomery and Robin Alexandra Lakey-White; and two great-grandchildren.